My mentor once told me, “Artists need an ego to protect them from the cold, cold world”. That being said, I feel that one of my proudest achievements is in my ability to continually paint things in a good light. Pun intended.

However it wasn’t always that way. I can not say that I instinctively created copious amounts of work as a child. The only thing that my background as a Hispanic and daughter of parents with no artistic talent did was make me more determined to pursue my art. I felt fully original in my pursuit of something that wasn’t genetically inherent in my family.

I will have to approach this subject no differently than anything I make a study of. Realistically. My interest in Art with a capital A was not inspired by a master or any such thing but rather the result of a program fluke courtesy of the Board of Education of New York. I was placed in a mandatory Studio Art class for juniors in my sophomore year and I found out that I loved art as a result of the class This experience led to me immersing myself in more classes. I took a museum studies class that focused on visiting the various museums in New York to sketch. It was then that I realized how lucky I was to live in a city with so much to offer artists. I didn’t see the point in just working on my own portfolio so I helped out my school by painting murals and sets for plays. This newfound talent bolstered my sense of achievement and most importantly I found happiness doing it.

I see my art as a reflection of myself. I have a mixed aesthetic when it comes to my work. I cannot bear to be abstract or idealistic when it comes to sketching or painting. I feel that it is another form of dishonesty and not at all fair to a subject. I would much rather spend an incredible amount of time in the intense pursuit of perfection.  However, my art has also made me realize that I am only human and sometimes my interpretation of a theme, subject or model is what reveals my identity and personality. It is in this form of expression that I find freedom and a sense of accomplishment all my own and I am proud of that.